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Kindergarten Rock Rock Climbing
| Elevation: | 6,519 ft |
| GPS: |
38.8746, -104.87959 Google Map · Climbing Area Map |
| Page Views: | 148,510 total · 500/month |
| Shared By: | Darin Lang on Nov 29, 1999 |
| Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
Access Issue: 2024 Seasonal Closures - these are the same as 2023
Details
Previously per B. Tennis: all seasonal rock climbing closures in Garden of the Gods have been lifted for the season.
In 2023, they were the same as for 2022 and 2021.
Kindergarten/Gray Rock
North Gateway
Old info:
Previously: per Bret Tennis, as of 10/19/22: The Garden of the Gods has lifted all the seasonal rock climbing closures. Prior in 2020: seasonal raptor closures for 2020 were now lifted.
Seasonal climbing closure as of 9 April 2020:
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Continued from last year closures on Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock:
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open except for the seasonal closure of the Northeast face.
Closures as of June 5, 2019:
The Northern end of North Gateway Rock is closed for raptor nesting.
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
Continued climbing closures from 2018:
The northern tip (Anaconda) of North Gateway Rock is closed to rock climbing.
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open.
Access Issue: 2023 Seasonal Closure - lifted
Details
Previously: the 2023 seasonal closure on the east face/north end are now in place per Bret Tennis, GOG staff. The permanent closures on the south end are still in effect.
The seasonal climbing closure were the same as 2021 in 2022 (which started 3/26/22):
The Northeast face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors and other birds. (These closures will be lifted as the birds' protection allows.)
Continued from last year closures on Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock:
Sleeping Giant (Keyhole Rock) is closed to rock climbing.
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant (Keyhole) and Gray Rock (Kindergarten) is PERMANENTLY closed to all activity.
One exception is that Family Values is open.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open except for the seasonal closure of the Northeast face.
Older info:
Seasonal climbing closure as of June 5, 2019:
The North East face of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) also know as Big Sky is closed to rock climbing due to nesting raptors.
Continued climbing closures from 2018:
The box canyon between Sleeping Giant and Gray Rock is closed to all activity.
The West side of Gray Rock (aka Kindergarten Rock) is closed to rock climbing except for the last 15 feet to the south. Family Values is still open, but anything North is closed to rock climbing. The South face is still open.
New as of 2018: a portion of the west face of this formation (at least from & including Monster Crack, 5.8, to & including Sword in the Stone, 5.8, and Big Sky) is closed to climbing due to wildlife concerns. The impact on brown bats, great horned owls, red tail hawks, and Cooper's hawks have resulted in part of the West face of Kindergarten Rock (aka Grey Rock), Keyhole Rock (aka Sleeping Giant), and the area between to be closed for all human uses including hiking and climbing. This information was from Bret Tennis, Garden of the Gods Park Operations Administrator.
Description
Kindergarten Rock (aka Gray Rock) is the Southernmost of the three large main formations in the Garden, and contains many fine climbs. Ormes' Chimney (5.6) may be one of the first technical climbs in Colorado and is still impressive when you consider it was done by Robert Ormes in 1924.
While the West Face of Kindergarten is composed of the same soft sandstone found on the Gateway Rocks, the East Face of Kindergarten is composed of solid, featured, and almost glassy sandstone. Some development has occurred in this area over the last 10-15 years, along with some rebolting of old lines. Must-do climbs on Kindergarten include the super-classic and well protected New Era (5.7), End of an Era (5.8), and Diesel and Dust (5.11).
New as of 2018: a portion of the west face of this formation (at least from & including Monster Crack, 5.8, to & including Footloose 'N' Fancy Free, 5.11- and Fragile Dihedral, and Big Sky) is closed to climbing due to wildlife concerns. The impact on brown bats, great horned owls, red tail hawks, and Cooper's hawks have resulted in part of the West face of Kindergarten Rock (aka Grey Rock), Keyhole Rock (aka Sleeping Giant), and the area between to be closed for all human uses including hiking and climbing. This information was from Bret Tennis, Garden of the Gods Park Operations Administrator.
TEMPORARY ACCESS ALERT - Spring 2024
The PPCA has been advised of restoration work to occur near the south end of Grey Rock aka Kindergarten Rock from March 18, 2024 through the end of April 2024. Due to this work, portions of the Ute Trail will be closed along with access to climbing routes on the south face of Grey Rock. Per Mark Tatro, the head ranger at GOTG, the Snake Pits and routes on the east face of Grey Rock will remain open. Please be a good steward, and respect these closures. See the photo of these access changes.
Getting There
All chalk and chalk substitues are not allowed!
The Park staff want to remind the climbing community that all chalk (calcium carbonate) and chalk substitutes are prohibited in the park due to visual impact starting in 2021.
When placing closure signange/notifications, our park rangers noted chalk stains on several routes in the closure area (Anaconda and Grapefruit Dance), as well as the Blowouts bouldering area (which were cleaned last year, meaning all the chalk here is new). We are again hoping that the community can come together and address this issue before it requires any action on our part. Access may come into play! We'd also like to thank the PPCA for their efforts to remove chalk stains in these areas last year and hope that local climbers might consider helping them remove chalk stains from the rock this season- check their website for more info on upcoming events- pikespeakclimbersalliance.o….
Prior Closure Information
As of 8/4/15, the raptor closures for Kindergarten Rock have been lifted.
This closure includes the base of the North end of the East face, so climbers wishing to access routes on the South end of the East face should use the Southern approach (from the South Main parking lot).
Click here for an explanation.
Classic Climbing Routes at Kindergarten Rock
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